Fall Frolic
by xPaperheartso
Summary: Fall is breathtakingly beautiful on Mt. Washington. Mike and Ashley go on a little escapade through the woods. Feelings are discussed and Ashley is on a mission to help her hopelessly in love friend. Ashley/Mike bonding, Mike/Matt, Chris/Josh, Sam/Ashley.
1. Into the Woods

Okay I'm utterly obsessed with Until Dawn so it was only a matter of time before I wrote something. This one will be short and it's just cute and I like exploring these dumb teenagers bonding. **AU where prank never happened.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Autumn had settled into the mountainside at last.

The crisp breeze tickled Ashley's nose as she sat upon the steps to the lodge, a steaming mug warming her hands. She took in the scenery, savoring every leaf that drifted gracefully to join its brothers and sisters on the ground. More than once Ashley had observed chattering squirrels scrambling from tree to tree, scouring the ground for nuts to store for later. She'd hoped to see a deer or perhaps a fox, but she was not that lucky.

Autumn on Mount Washington was definitely magical to say the least.

A door behind her squeaked open as footsteps approached. A familiar body plopped itself down beside her.

"What's up?" Chris asked, his breath just barely visible. Ashley took a sip of her coffee before responding.

"Just enjoying the view," she shrugged, a content smile on her lips. "Taking in the sounds and smells - you don't exactly get this in L.A."

Chris nodded in agreement, though he wasn't huge on the nature stuff. Sure the mountain looked absolutely marvelous in Autumn, but he wasn't much of a nature guy. He was more than happy appreciating nature's beauty from the inside or from the other side of a computer screen.

"Well Josh and Sam want to play Uno, and I thought you might want to join."

Ashley took another sip of her drink, pondering the very simple invitation. Normally the red-head was up for a game of cards - especially if the game involved infamous black and white cards. However, the more she thought about it, the less appealing a card game sounded. It's not like she wasn't enjoying herself already.

"Thanks Chris, but I'm good out here," she shook her head, offering her friend a friendly smile. "Don't worry though, I'm all for whatever you two have planned for tonights shenanigans," she added with a sly grin.

Chris, true to his dorkiness, threw his hands up in mock exasperation. He feigned betrayal, even going so far as clutching his heart as if Ashley had stabbed him. "B-but...I thought we were friends!" He cried, earning a laugh from the girl.

"Lay off you drama queen!" Ashley huffed with a smile as she playfully shoved the blonde, who nearly fell over at the push. He adjusted his glasses and brushed off his sweater sleeves as if dirt dusted them. "Hmpf! Well I can see this "friendship" was all a sham. A fraud! An elaborate ruse!"

It took another shove from Ashley for Chris to finally stand to leave her be. Faces were made and tongues were stuck out before the blonde had closed the door behind him. Ashley resumed her previous position, sipping her dwindling coffee carefully. Her beanie helped keep her head warm, while the coffee and her finger-less gloves worked in tandem to prevent chilly fingers.

Eventually her coffee ran out and Ashley found herself wanting to explore. She'd taken a few pictures on the way up, but the amount she had on her phone wasn't quite enough. The fall aesthetic was a favorite of Ashley's, and even back in L.A. the teen was decked out in Fall fashion.

Another pair of squirrels scooted across the leaf-strewn yard, unaware of the red-head watching them amusingly.

"Alright you two, smile for the camera."

Phone out, Ashley lined up the shot and made sure the camera was focused before tapping the shutter. With a satisfying snap the picture was saved, the two critters frozen mid leap on the screen. It only took a few minutes for Ashley to finish editing the photo, making sure to adjust the brightness just so, and adding a filter that enhanced the the color of the leaves.

It was the perfect insta pic - if only the Washingtons had wifi on the mountain.

 _If they can buy a mountain, surely wifi can't be_ that _expensive_ , Ashley pondered.

A door creaked open, scattering the romping squirrels. Leaning back, the teen tilted her head back to peer up at her visitor.

"Heya Mike," Ashley greeted, finding the class president's upside down face rather amusing.

A chuckle left Mike's lips, a friendly grin following as he towered over the red-head.

"Nice to see you too Ash." He moved past the sitting girl, stopping at the bottom of the steps, hands in his pockets casually.

"So what brings Mr. Munroe out of the funhouse and into the outside world?" Ashley queried teasingly, resting her chin on her free hand, bright green eyes fixed on the boy.

Mike shrugged at first, glancing around at the myriad of brown, gold, red, and orange foliage that had taken over the mountainside. "Felt a little cooped up. Wanted some fresh air and thought a walk would be good," he finally answered.

Truth be told, Mike did like the outdoors. Sure internet and TV were nice and definitely addicting - he'd just finished binge watching _Friends_ on Netflix - but there was something about being outside that he enjoyed. Maybe it was the freedom the outdoors so generously offered, the opportunity to step away from the chaos of the "real world" - to breathe and collect his thoughts. Mike was a lover of the party scene - a true Californian at heart - but he always looked forward to their trips up the mountain.

"What? Can't a guy enjoy some fresh air and beautiful scenery?" He continued.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Of course you can - I just know how much you love Josh's drinking games," she smirked.

There was a snort, leaves crunching under boots as Mike sauntered closer to Ashley, inclining his head in a way that suggested she wasn't wrong. "Be that as it may, I still reserve the right to enjoy this place as much as it pleases me."

Ashley merely shrugged with a nonchalant nod of her head, the conversation dropping like the leaves around them. The brief silence was comfortable to a point where neither teen noticed it very much. Mike made a noise in his throat before turning and heading down his original path, hands in pockets and gait relaxed. Ashley considered going in and grabbing her book, or perhaps her laptop so she could continue working on her little novel.

 _Josh and the twins would probably try to drag me into one of their games_ , she thought, already knowing it was a probable outcome. The trio were _very_ persuasive when together, and Ashley had a feeling she'd end up participating one way or the other.

Before she could mull over alternate routes to her temporary bedroom, there was the familiar sound of decaying leaves crunching underfoot.

"Yo Ash, wanna join me?"

Mike had just about lost sight of Ashley as he'd headed down the leaf-strewn path, trees embracing him into their domain before he'd had a thought to invite the red-head. It was a spontaneous thought, one that Mike entertained for all of 15 seconds before turning back to the lodge. When the two had first met through association via their good friends, there had never really been much of anything between them. They were friends of course, but they were never particularly close like Josh and Chris or Sam and the Washington children.

It took a house party for the two to start forming their own bond.

Her purple beanie moved not an inch as Ashley's head popped up in surprise, both at the question and to see Mike had turned back.

"Through the woods?" She asked, head tilted ever so slightly as green eyes studied the class president.

Mike chuckled whilst nodding. "Where else ginger-snap?"

The nickname earned him a scowl, one Mike knew held no ill-will. "This better not be one of your god-awful pranks Michael," Ashley warned, failing to keep the corners of her lips from quirking upwards ever so slightly.

Hands held up in surrender, Mike shook his head. "No prank, just a friendly stroll in the woods." The dark-haired teen's smile formed into a more sincere one, brown eyes meeting green like the first leaf of Spring and the last leaf of Fall. "You can trust me Ash - no funny business. Scout's honor."

Ashley knew if she turned him down, a puppy-dog pout that could convince Death himself to concede would mar Mike's face until she finally said yes.

Smiling, Ashley stood and made a show of brushing off her leggings. "Alright, I trust you Munroe." Her smile morphed into a smirk. "But if you try to scare me I swear to god I will kick your ass."

"I don't doubt it."

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading! Hope you all liked it! :D

The pairings will come eventually I promise. Also I don't know yet _how_ many chapters this fic will have, but this will be short so we'll see.


	2. Fuck Mario

Ashley gets a taste of how Mike might win his potential presidency, while Mike struggles with a confession.

Also there is fluff because these dorks are 100% made of fluff.

* * *

So far Mike was behaving himself - a detail Ashley found faintly concerning.

The two had been walking for a good ten minutes, small talk passing between them like notes in class. Ashley occasionally stopped to take a picture of something that caught her eye; birds, shadows cast by the trees, an aesthetically pleasing creek with orange and red leaves floating peacefully along, and some deer tracks that left the girl hopeful.

"I still say Yoshi and Bowser are the best characters," Mike stated, throwing Ashley a side-long glance.

The red-head rolled her eyes. "That's because they're the only ones you play as you dip."

Mike huffed. "Because they kick ass."

 _And this guy wants to be president_ , Ashley mused with an internal shake of her head.

"Is this how all of your presidential debates will sound?"

Mike stopped walking and crossed his arms, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to appear offended. "Of course not!" The twitch of his lips gave him away as a familiar grin appeared. "I'll have already declared them the ultimate characters of Mario Kart."

Ashley planted a hand on her hip in a way she'd seen Emily do countless times. "I think you're forgetting Mario - y'know, the dude the game's named after?"

"Fuck Mario, he's lame."

 _Grade A argument Mr. Class President._

Once again the conversation was dropped, leaving the duo in a peaceful silence. The almost constant cool breeze filled the silence, the rustle of leaves and creaking of trees providing a comforting background noise. Birds sung to each other among the flaming canopy while squirrels and chipmunks foraged for nuts among the leaf litter.

Along their little hike, Ashley had wondered why Mike had invited her along. So far their conversations had varied from topic to topic, eventually falling away to more silence. The red-head inspected her friend as they walked, studying his expressions and catching him more than once starting to ask her something before lightly shaking his head and staying silent. His eyes held a question behind all the friendly banter, but his confidence was obviously failing him.

While she debated with herself whether to ask him what was up, Mike had strayed from the path to study a group of huge boulders, a tree resting on its side amongst them - roots exposed to the crisp air.

"Mike?"

The boy didn't answer right away. It was only when Ashley stood by his side that he acknowledged her.

"Earth to Mike!" She hissed, finally catching the boy's attention. "What exactly are you doing?"

Mike looked back to the boulders, not exactly sure how to answer. "I'm...observing," he replied. "D'you ever just have this...feeling? Like you should do something?" Mike motioned to the boulders. "I have this feeling there's something over this. I dunno it doesn't make any damn sense but..." He stopped talking, not having much else to say. He glanced at Ashley to gauge her reaction.

"What do you think is on the other side?" Ashley's eyebrows were cocked to display her confusion, studying her friend carefully. What he'd described made sense - sometimes she felt this sudden pull, this urge to go through a different door or drive a different road to school or home. She was sure there was a legitimate term for such a sensation, but the mountain was lacking of any service so research was off the table.

Mike shrugged to her inquiry. A familiar spark of adventure and determination glinted in his brown eyes. Ashley knew what it meant; she'd seen the same glint in Sam's eyes countless times.

"Let's find out."

Mike took a few minutes to study the boulders, checking for grooves deep enough for him to grab hold. The bare branches of the fallen tree offered extra grip points, which meant scaling this natural wall was plausible. Mike assured Ashley he would pull her up once he got to the top, and she surprised herself a bit when she didn't protest. The red-head did enjoy the outdoors - of that there was no doubt - but she wasn't nearly as adventurous as Mike or her girlfriend, which meant the latter often spent her "adventure time" out with Mike. Sam and Mike were definitely the daring duo of their group, and they had been told so multiple times by their friends. Either way, Ashley was intrigued by the possibility of what lay beyond the boulders, despite her usual lack of adventuring enthusiasm.

Sam was definitely rubbing off on her.

"Hey! Earth to Ash!"

Ashley blinked, her current thoughts drifting away as she realized Mike had made it to the top, an excited grin on his face. "You gotta see this!" This time he spoke a little softer, though the excitement was still apparent in his tone. The red-head nodded, her curiosity growing as ideas of what lay ahead popped up in her head. "Okay, step on that little rock there and reach up," Mike instructed, faintly reminding the girl of Sam when she'd first talked Ashley into rock climbing. Obeying the instructions, she reached up as high as she could, standing on her tip toes to lessen the distance between them. With a light grunt, Mike lay prone atop the rock, well-muscled arms dangling as he stretched for the girl.

"Almost..."

With a slight shift forward on his part, Mike closed the gap and their hands were tightly embracing. With a heave Ashley found herself clambering over the top of the rock, a strong hand grabbing at the back of her hoodie and hefting her up over the edge. Mike chuckled as Ashley panted mildly, patting her shoulder like their gym coach did every so often. At least this pat was welcome.

"Nice job ginger-snap," he teased with a smart-ass grin on his face.

Ashley huffed and swatted his arm. Mike coddled it as if she'd actually hurt him, hazel eyes twinkling. "One of these days you're gonna leave a bruise."

Ashley made a note to hit harder next time.

Getting to her feet and brushing off her leggings, Ashley took a look around. She didn't spot anything rather spectacular other than the usual woods they'd been trekking through for half an hour. Mike however still had that excited look as he reached forward to tug at Ashley's wrist, leaving no room for questions. He carefully led her away from the rock's edge and into the brush, the red-head noting how he tried his best to make as little noise as possible in a forest in the middle of Autumn. A for effort at least.

Mike stopped at an opening in the trees and brush, looking to Ashley and putting a finger to his lips to signal for silence. She nodded her head. With that, Mike led her towards the opening, the boy brimming with so much excitement he wondered if Ashley could feel it through his fingers.

"Tada!" He whispered.

The clearing before them was mid-sized at best. The late afternoon sun was bathing the area in warm light as the trees surrounding it rustled in the Autumn breeze. There were a few saplings here and there, but it was mostly open, with a small creek just barely visible in the distance. But that was not what had Mike itching with anticipation for the past 5 minutes. Ashley's eyes were transfixed on the herd of deer that dotted the landscape, most of their heads bent down to graze as the stag looked on, scanning for danger amongst the trees. The birds chirping around them suddenly made the scene so much more surreal. Ashley felt as if she'd stepped into a scene from a movie, the sheer beauty and tranquility of this place something she'd never quite experienced before.

While the red-head absorbed the grand sight before them, Mike had been observing her every few seconds. He watched as her confused and curious expression quickly melted into one of awe, green eyes catching the sunlight and adding to the affect. Mike refrained from chuckling at his friend's reaction, finding it awfully cute as she stared. This was definitely worth the detour.

"Wow," Ashley murmured. Mike hummed in agreement.

"Is this that thing you felt? Is this what made you climb the rocks?"

Mike tilted his head. "Probably." He continued to take in the priceless scene, trying to commit it to memory. "I'm glad I listened."

The two remained there for a little longer, neither talking much, but rather opting to take in every detail they could before agreeing it was time to move on. They walked abreast to each other, Mike with his hands in his pockets and Ashley with her phone in one hand, ready to snap a pic every so often. They'd lost track of time, but neither were in a hurry and any concern for the hour was not at the forefront of their minds. More than once, Ashley was tempted to simply ask Mike what was on his mind. In the same way, Mike found himself start to express his thoughts to her, only for the words to shrink away on his tongue.

Eventually, Ashley beat him to the punch.

"You've got something on your mind." She glanced at him carefully, trying to read his face.

Mike lightly shook his head, shoulders sagging slightly. "You could say that."

He kept walking, but Ashley wasn't finished.

Determined, she put her hand on his shoulder, the boy stopping at the contact. When he met her gaze, she offered a gentle, encouraging smile and squeezed his shoulder lightly.

"Mike, you can talk to me. Whatever it is, I'm here to listen." The red-head tilted her head slightly.

Mike didn't break her gaze for a few minutes, finally looking away with a relenting sigh.

"Fine. You win ginger-snap." He smirked as Ashley' face shifted from caring friend to 'I swear to god I'm gonna kick your ass one day'.

If Ashley were taller, she could've successfully put Mike in a headlock. Unfortunately this wasn't the case, as her attempt was thwarted by Mike's height, his much stronger arms preventing her own from wrapping around his neck. She squealed, the sound morphing into a round of giggles as she settled for trying to mess up his perfect hair.

Mike protested loudly, his tone light and hindered with laughter as she mussed his hair. He had to give it her, she was stronger than she looked. Though Mike was giving her a _slight_ advantage - but he'd never tell her that.

Ashley's small victory was short-lived as the tables were quickly turned - Mike flashing her an impish grin before overpowering her and locking her head into his arm. She flailed against the noogie attack, her beanie messing up her hair even worse as she tried to escape. Mike bellowed with laughter as Ashley cursed half-heartedly at him, words mixing with bubbly laughter as she fought him. Eventually he released her, brown eyes twinkling with mirth as he took in her appearance. Her purple beanie was lopsided at this point, red strands of hair sticking out haphazardly from underneath. A few strands fell into her face, nose red from the chill and green eyes bright and playful even as she tried (and failed) to glare at him.

Likewise, Ashley took in Mike - who's usually well styled hair was spiked in several different directions. Ashley knew she looked worse, since Mike looked as if he was simply suffering from a bad case of bed head.

"I love what you've done with your hair Ash, is that Vogue?" Mike teased, voice rising an octave for effect.

Ashley huffed. "No, but it looks like you had a good time last night. Anyone ever tell you how good you look with sex hair?" She smirked.

Mike eye's looked up as if he could see what she meant, rolling his eyes as he threw her a wink.

"Everyday."

Ashley snorted and began fixing her hair. Mike ran his fingers through his own, trying his best to return it to it's previous glory. He was only mildly successful. Ashley on the other hand had restored most of her hair to a normal state, replacing her favorite beanie and placing her hands triumphantly on her hips. Mike threw her another eye roll.

They met each others gaze. Mike knew he had dodged the question earlier, but now it was time to fess up. He wasn't even sure why he was having this much trouble opening up - he could trust Ashley. Plus they were close friends...so why was he avoiding it? He just had to open his mouth and say it.

"I'vegotacrushonMatt!" He blurted, cheeks tinged pink as he looked at the ground sheepishly.

Ashley blinked, mouth open in a small 'o' shape. _Did I hear him right? He...has a crush on Matt?_

The red-head continued to stare, Mike growing hot under her gaze, a boot toeing at a rock wedged into the ground. He cursed himself, wishing he'd just kept his damn mouth shut. But more than anything he wished Ashley would just _stop staring!_

"It's rude to stare," he growled, still avoiding her eyes. The words brought Ashley back to reality, her mouth closing as she shook her head briefly. "Sorry - you just caught me off guard is all."

Mike huffed, chancing a look at her. "Well it was a surprise for me too," he confessed. His shoulders went slack and the heat under his skin subsided a little, his brief irritation sizzling away. Leaves and twigs crunched and snapped softly under Ashley's feet as she approached him, gloved hands taking his bare ones into their own. The gesture was oddly more comforting than Mike expected.

"How long?"

"Three months now," Mike sighed. A small smile crept onto his lips. "That idiot's got me head over heels."

Ashley let out a soft giggle. "Were you gonna tell him later tonight?"

Another sigh. "I want to..." Mike's voice trailed off. "It's just - I keep thinking what if. What if he rejects me? What if he breaks off our friendship? What if he stops talking to me?"

Mike closed his eyes. His voice small as he spoke again. "What if he hates me?"

Ashley watched her friend, her thumb rubbing circles onto his hands. "Mike - hey, look at me." She took his chin in one hand and he opened his eyes, meeting her warm gaze. "Listen to me Munroe. Matt would _never_ hate you. I don't know if he feels the same way you do, but you can't keep second-guessing yourself." She patted his cheek lightly. "You'll kick yourself for never finding out, trust me - I almost did."

Mike couldn't help but smile at Ashley's little pep talk, his confidence slowly returning. "Thanks Ash," he replied, brown eyes twinkling. He planted a quick kiss to her forehead, dropping her hand and straightening his shoulders. Ashley giggled at the friendly kiss and was glad her words were able to help Mike. "Now that that's out of the way, shall we continue our walk?" Mike asked, flashing his signature grin, arm poised at his side for Ashley to loop her arm through.

With a bounce in her step, the red-head followed Mike's lead, arm looping through his. "Why of course my good sir," she answered with a hint of an accent. "Onward!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Wowie! This chapter definitely was longer than I expected - but hey it was fun to write so no complaints here. ^-^

I'm having too much fun with these two dorks. They are hilarious and ridiculously cute - which is making me ship them more and more tbh.  
Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this longer chapter and all its shenanigans! I want to thank you all for the support - your reviews and likes really encourage me. 3


	3. Party 'til Dawn

After 84 years I've finally updated this story ;A; I'm so sorry for the wait!

 **Josh always bragged that his parties brought people closer. In Mike and Ashley's case, he wasn't wrong.**

 **A flashback chapter + bonus lunch scene w/ flirty Sam.**

* * *

-6 Months Earlier-

If there had ever been a prize for sickest party ever, Josh Washington would have won.

The special-order speakers blasted the pre-selected playlist throughout the whole house, which was quite a feat considering the house was considerably large. Lights of every color danced along the walls and floors, illuminating the rather dark living room - or as Josh referred to it - the dance floor. Bodies swayed and jerked to the alternating rhythms, most pressed against another dancer with drink in hand. Ashley took a sip from her cup as she hung back from the energetic crowd, the music reverberating through her whole body. She had never missed one of Josh's parties thus far, and she'd never regretted attending them either.

Glancing around, Ashley looked for any sign of her friends. She flagged Chris down once she spotted him, her body swaying and bopping somewhat to the beat. The taller blonde nearly tripped once he got to Ashley, his glasses shifting down the bridge of his nose a bit, though he didn't seem to notice. "Sup homeslice," he greeted, the alcohol on his breath apparent.

Ashley grinned. "Enjoying yourself?" She wasn't much better - her breath could easily give away her inebriation to anyone sober. Chris simply grinned as he nodded, his body unable to resist moving somewhat to the infectious beats surrounding them. "Hell yeah - this has gotta be Josh's best party, hands down!" Ashley raised her plastic cup, "I'll toast to that!" They clinked their cups before taking a good swig of their alcohol, Ashley letting out a loud hiccup while Chris belched.

It only took the red-head a quick glance to catch Josh emerging from the kitchen, the crowd cheering as he joined in the mosh pit. Ashley smirked as she nudged Chris to turn around, inclining her head to check his reaction. "You better go get him before someone else does," she teased. The boy blushed, but nodded with a cocky grin before squeezing himself into the mosh pit. Ashley laughed and took another sip from her cup. She began to wonder where her other companions had wandered off to, so she made her way to the kitchen, spotting Sam and Hannah talking by the fridge while other people talked and drank. The kitchen was usually a good place to step back from all the crazy going on in the main room. Ashley caught Sam's attention and waved, a blush on her cheeks rising when the blonde returned the friendly wave. Turning back, the red-head made her way back to the main room. She caught a glimpse of Mike with some girl grinding him up and down, which honestly didn't surprise Ashley one bit - but hey she wasn't gonna judge. Beth was at the DJ booth, but Emily, Jess, and Matt were nowhere to be found. With a shrug Ashley returned to her previous linger spot, finishing the last of her drink and enjoying the warmth that filled her belly.

After 20 minutes of side-dancing, the red-head realized she needed to use the bathroom. Unfortunately, the one on the ground floor was currently occupied by two very drunk and high-on-sex-drive individuals. That left the one upstairs - which was fine until some dude stopped her at the base of the stairs. "'Ey baby where you headed so fast?" Ashley blinked, and despite being somewhat intoxicated managed to deadpan, "The bathroom." The dude _screamed_ fuckboy. From his somewhat gelled hair with the "sexy" spike to his shorts and unbuttoned shirt. The guy chuckled as if she had told a joke and shifted into her personal bubble. "Funny AND cute. My favorite," he smirked. He put a finger under her chin and lifted it up, eyes hazy from alcohol - although it was hard to see in the dim light.

"Tell ya what. Why don't we both head to the bathroom and spend a little...private time together?" He suggested in what must have been his "sexy" voice.

Ashley grimaced, suddenly realizing the sleaze had a hand on her hip, fingers inching toward her ass slowly. His breath on her face reeked, transforming her grimace into a curled lip of disgust. "I have a better idea," she fake smiled before shoving his slimy hand away. "You leave me alone and don't ever fucking touch me again." Her words dropped their fake girly charm and became more of a growl as she shoved past the guy and started up the stairs. She didn't look back.

The second floor was surprisingly clear, which Ashley found odd - but not enough to care. She was just glad she could (hopefully) pee in peace. Before opening the bathroom door she caught someone entering a room down the hall, followed by giggles and a shut door. Rolling her eyes, she opened the door to find the bathroom empty. Sighing happily, she locked the door. The floorboards thrummed with the bass of the music downstairs, Ashley tapping her foot to the beat. After running some fingers through her hair and reapplying some chapstick she exited the fancy bathroom.

Ashley didn't see the sleaze-ball on the stairs, which was a relief. She could still smell his breath on her face and her lip curled at the memory. The tremendous beat of the music was helping her forget the weirdo however, and a bounce came to her step just as the stairs ended. Ashley swore she'd spotted Jess, and started towards the DJ booth when a stranger with gelled hair blocked her way.

"Welcome back sugar tits," he winked.

Ashley mentally gagged, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently.

"I don't want to talk to you. Get out of my way and _leave_. _Me_. _Alone_." Her eyes were like daggers at this point, but the stranger brushed off her demands.

"Feisty too - you're my kind of girl." He winked again, this time licking his lip. Which was super uncomfortable for Ashley to see.

"Look - okay so you don't want my glorious dick - fine," he conceded, stepping forward to get in the red-head's bubble. "But can't I at least get a taste of those lips?"

Ashley stepped back as he advanced, her back finding the wall sooner than she liked. She was actually nervous now, glancing around to anyone nearby. She didn't recognize anybody, but no one seemed to notice the asshole advancing on her.

"Just one kiss - yeah? C'mon baby girl your lips look so fucking tasty..." He was up in her face for the second time that night, his breath still rank with alcohol. Ashley shoved him off, wishing she had a drink to spill on him. She considered giving him a swift kick in the nuts, but that thought was quickly extinguished when she noticed who she'd shoved the asshole into.

The guy straightened his shirt and looked more annoyed as he eyed Ashley. He didn't seem to notice Mike standing directly behind him. When he took a step towards Ashley again, a hand firmly grasped his shoulder. The stranger whipped his head around and snapped a quick _"What?"_ , but his irritated expression fell when Mike shot him a death glare. Matt appeared from the dancing crowd beyond Mike, arms crossed with an angry glint in his eyes.

"Y'know, I don't think she likes you Steven," Mike taunted. His grip on Steven's shoulder tightened, as Matt approached Steven's other side and gripped the douchebag's free shoulder.

Steven looked nervous, but his inebriation made him extra cocky.

And stupid.

"Fuck you Munroe!" He tried shrugging off the death grips on his shoulders, but Mike and Matt held fast. "Think again asshole," Matt warned.

Ashley had already felt better once Matt and Mike showed up, and now she could sense a fight about to break out - though it was obvious who'd win.

As predicted, Steven started throwing punches, but his aim was terribly off and Mike just smirked as he had to make very little effort to dodge. "Has anyone ever told you you suck at punching?" With no warning, Mike's fist impacted with Steven's gut, a pale look coming over the scumbag's face as he wrapped his arms tightly around his middle.

"F-fu..fuck man..." Steven grumbled, his expression changing from one of pain to one of nausea. Mike noticed, but he could care less if he upchucked - although Josh and his sisters would be pissed. "I leave him with you," Mike nodded to Matt, who returned the gesture. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."

Ashley hadn't been able to stop the little smirk of vengeance that had appeared when Steven was punched. If only she'd thought to do that rather than just push him away - but that didn't matter because he was in good hands now.

"You alright?" Mike asked as he came to her side. "Did he touch you?" His eyes narrowed at the question, concern etching his features despite the low but sporadic lighting. Ashley shook her head and scrunched her nose a little. "Only when he got in my way on the stairs. He had a hand on my hip but I shoved him off."

Mike glanced over at Steven, one fist still curled, but he faced the red-head again and let out a sigh. "Well, I'm glad we showed up when we did."

"Wanna get some fresh air?"

Ashley nodded. "As long as you teach me how to throw a punch like that."

Mike laughed, the tension gone from his features at last. "Sure thing ginger-snap."

Almost a week after the party, Ashley still enjoyed the look of sheer panic that seemed to cross Steven's face whenever he spotted her at school. It wasn't only her that struck fear into the sleaze however- he'd learned to avoid everyone in their little group _very_ quickly.

"D'you think he pisses his pants whenever he sees us?" Mike queried, his focus on Matt.

The jock took a swig of his water before responding, a twinkle of mirth in his eyes. "At this point, I think he'd piss himself looking at any of us."

There was a round of chuckles as the others around the table nodded in agreement. Sam dipped a carrot into a cup of ranch and took a loud bite, lightly covering her mouth as she spoke up. "Normally I'd tell you guys to ease up, but he messed with the wrong people." She glanced at Ashley after speaking, the red-head blushing at the wink Sam tossed her.

Josh, who couldn't let the show of affection go unchallenged, wrapped an arm around Chris and threw the teen a similar wink. "She's right. You don't fuck with the Dawn Squad," he grinned. There was a mix of groans and rolled eyes at the nickname, which was a topic not everyone agreed with. Josh thought it worked well, seeing as his parties always lasted til the crack of dawn. Plus he and Chris both agreed their little entourage needed a name, and since no one could offer up a better option, they christened the group as such.

There was a nice pause as everyone returned to enjoying their annoyingly brief lunch break, snacks being swapped for better options and at least a few chips being swiped from someone else. After swallowing a mouthful, Mike nodded to Josh. "So, is everything all good for the Fall break?"

The Washington boy nodded, eyes lighting up in excitement. "Hell yeah broski. The stage is set for a relaxing week of mountain views, classic board games, and the best liquor money can buy!" Jess danced in her seat, "You know me so well Joshua." He shrugged with a grin. "What can I say? I'm a psychic I suppose."

Chris scoffed playfully. "If that were true you wouldn't have gotten my order wrong at Taco Bell." A few scandalized 'oos' echoed from the others, Beth and Hannah chuckling behind their hands. "Aw c'mon babe that was ONE time!" Josh protested, his arm around Chris sliding off so he could make a begging motion. "I swear it won't happen again - scout's honor!" Chris rolled his eyes at his boyfriend's dramatic display, slapping away his hands. "Stop it before I threaten to cancel our date."

Ashley watched with amusement as the two boys went back and forth, jumping only slightly at the hand on her thigh. Sam's blue eyes always made the red-head's stomach flutter - more so when they were looking at her. The spot where Sam's hand rested felt extra warm.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask if you were busy tomorrow."  
Ashley blinked, cheeks a slight shade pinker than usual. "T-tomorrow? Oh, well I have a quick club meeting after school, but after that I'm free." There was an excited twinkle in Sam's eyes as her smile widened, revealing bright pearly whites. "Perfect! I'm going to the shelter to help with walking their dogs and everything, and I was wondering if you wanted to join me?"

There was no denying the little skip her heart did at the question. "And I was also thinking we could see a movie after? My treat." Ashley could have kissed the blonde right then if it weren't for the fact she couldn't quite discern if this was to be an actual date, rather than just a girl's date. "That sounds like a lot of fun!" She smiled broadly, the idea of spending extra time with Sam - especially a movie with just the two of them - was like a dream come true.

"Sweet! I would suggest not wearing your absolute best though - those rascals really like to jump on people." Sam removed her hand from Ashley's thigh to start peeling the banana she'd kept stashed in her lunch box. She tossed Ashley another wink, which succeeded in spreading the red-head's blush across most of her face like a fever. She chuckled and hoped Sam - nor anyone else - noticed. "Thanks for the tip."

The lunch bell rang loud and piercing, eliciting groans from the group of teens. Grudgingly they packed their stuff and cleared the table of trash before heading for the hallway. Josh had his arm around Chris's waist and held him close as they walked. Hannah, Emily, and Jess were talking about makeup tutorials on YouTube as Beth shadowed them, texting rapidly on her phone. Matt and Mike were walking close, shoulders nearly brushing, and were recanting last week's football game animatedly.

Sam kept pace with Ashley and began listing the dogs at the shelter and all their names and mannerisms. Soon the two got on the topic of their dream dog, which lasted up until they had to part ways to separate classes. Sam waved goodbye, Ashley warm and fuzzy as she sat at her desk and opened her notebook, her mind already day dreaming about tomorrow.

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed the next installment! Hopefully the next won't take close to a year - no promises though lol


End file.
